Wes Anderson
New Film: Moonrise Kingdom
Country: USA
Age: 43
Best Known For: Walking the fine line between quirky and pretentious (in films like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic) for 15+ years
Cannes History
None, Moonrise Kingdom is Anderson's first film to play Cannes.
His Resume
With Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson has now written and directed seven feature films. 2001's The Royal Tenenbaums is his highest-grossing film (at just over $52 million domestic), while 2009's Fantastic Mr. Fox, his most recent film, is perhaps his most critically acclaimed (93% on Rotten Tomatoes). Anderson's other films include his debut, Bottle Rocket; 1998's Rushmore; 2004's The Life Aquatic; and 2007's The Darjeeling Limited. All of Anderson's films except Fantastic Mr. Fox have been released by The Criterion Collection.
Anderson has been nominated for two Oscars (Best Animated Feature 2010 - Fantastic Mr. Fox, Best Original Screenplay 2002 - The Royal Tenenbaums). He's also the winner of Best Director at the Independent Spirit Awards in 1998 (Rushmore).
Frequent collaborators include Owen Wilson, whom is Anderson's co-writer on his first three features; Bill Murray, who's appeared in every Anderson film since Bottle Rocket (including Moonrise Kingdom); and cinematographer Robert Yeoman (on every film except Fantastic Mr. Fox). Other frequent actors in Anderson's troupe include Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Adrien Brody, Luke Wilson.
Anderson's films generally follow individuals who are emotionally damaged and/or pathological schemers. They often find themselves on a quest for something (emotional closure, closer family ties, turkey and cider), and though romance is almost always involved in an Anderson film, his characters' relationships are never traditional. Music almost always plays a key role in Wes Anderson's films, as do shape and color, which are consistent across his oeuvre, making his work distinctive and almost always recognizable.
Anderson On-Demand
Hulu Plus: N/A
iTunes: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums
Netflix Instant: N/A
Vudu: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums
Moonrise Kingdom
"A pair of lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them." —IMDb
Unsurprisingly, Anderson looks like he's back to his usual routine after a minor departure with Fantastic Mr. Fox. The film looks washed out, its characters very simple-minded, which means though the film is a period piece, it will be very Anderson-ian. Most of the usual gang is back, but newcomers like Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, and Frances McDormand feature prominently. The premise of the film means Anderson's goofy characters probably won't be doing much besides looking around and getting into a sticky situation or two. Still, for those who appreciate the director's schtick, Moonrise Kingdom will be a welcome antidote to the noise of summer when released on May 25.
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